This invention relates to a shock absorption mechanism for shoes, and more particularly to a shock absorption mechanism positioned within the heel of a shoe to absorb shock upon impact and to maintain good shoe stability.
The terms xe2x80x9cshock absorption,xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cabsorption of shock,xe2x80x9d or other like terms all relate to the ability of a device compressing or expanding upon a force being applied to the device, to reduce that force to zero, to reduce the acceleration of the device to zero, and to reduce the velocity of that device to zero in a manner in which rapid changes of acceleration or velocity are not experienced. In order to provide comfort when wearing the shoe, this xe2x80x9cshock absorptionxe2x80x9d must be accomplished whereby the decrease in acceleration is gradual and the decrease in velocity is gradual. For example, if the acceleration is reduced to zero and the velocity is reduced to zero instantaneously, as the words xe2x80x9cshock absorptionxe2x80x9d are used herein, no shock absorption has occurred. The term xe2x80x9cshock absorptionxe2x80x9d has nothing to do with inner soles which may be utilized in addition to the shock absorption device to Make a shoe comfortable in a static condition.
The term xe2x80x9cshoe stabilityxe2x80x9d is used herein to describe a feature of a shoe which will, in a static condition and upon walking, support the weight of the person wearing the shoe in a manner which allows the person to have good balance. A shoe with xe2x80x9cgood stabilityxe2x80x9d provides the person with support that is firm and dimensionally stable, and does not provide the person with a feel that he is walking on wet sand or xe2x80x9cSILLY PUTTY.xe2x80x9d
In the past, cushioned innersoles have been provided for shoes which are formed of compressible, elastomeric material, such as cellular or plastic foam, foam rubber, or the like. These innersoles have provided only a limited amount of shock absorbency, or none at all resulting in little or no significant improvement in the wearer""s comfort. It is therefore highly desirable to provide a new and improved shock absorption mechanism for shoes.
Recently, shoes have been provided with soles having air cushions in the toe and heel or throughout the sole with air circulation between separated air cushions. The air cushions have been provided with mechanisms that circulate the air and ventilate the shoes during walking activities. These air cushions, however, have been known to wear and to vary the shock absorption and the circulation of air during use, and the shock absorption provided is directly proportional to the compressibility of air and the circulation of air during use. Thus, it is highly desirable to provide a new and improved shock absorption mechanism for shoes which maintains its shock absorption properties during use.
In some shoes, an air pump is incorporated in the heel of the shoe which is more or less in communication with one or more air bladders located in the toe or other portions of the shoe. An example of these shoes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,173 and this inventor""s Korean Patent No. 60907, Korean Patent Published Nos. 94-7402 (Application No. 91-20772), 94-1007 (Application No. 92-1238), and 94-10008 (Application No. 92-1239).
These shoes, in the past, have experienced difficulties in that the air bladders leak, and the communication between air bladders change during use, and the shock absorption feature of the shoe either cannot be relied upon or is too much dependent upon the compressibility of air, and thus, does not absorb the shock satisfactorily. Thus, it is highly desirable to provide a new and improved shock absorption mechanism for shoes which does not involve an air cushion. It is also highly desirable to provide a new and improved shock absorption mechanism for shoes which does not have one or more air bladders in communication with each other. It is also highly desirable to provide a new and improved shock absorption device for a shoe which does not have all of the disadvantages of air cushions and bladders. It is also highly desirable to provide a new and improved shock absorption mechanism which has a mechanical shock absorption mechanism.
Finally, there have been provided shoes with a spring device positioned in the heel. Examples of such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,737. However, such devices have not been dimensionally stable and thus, become xe2x80x9cstuckxe2x80x9d against other portions of the shoe and cannot be relied upon to function properly, do not provide the good shoe stability required, are highly complex, have multiple parts and are relatively expensive to manufacture and assemble, or do not have the necessary shock absorption property desired, or at times do not provide the appropriate stability required in a shoe.
Therefore, it is highly desirable to provide a new and improved shock absorption mechanism for shoes to be positioned in the heel portion of the shoe. It is also highly desirable to provide a new and improved shock absorption mechanism for shoes which is dimensionally stable during compression. It is also highly desirable to provide a new and improved shock absorption mechanism for a shoe which is comprised of few parts, is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and is relatively simple to assemble. It is also highly desirable to provide a new and improved shock absorption mechanism for a shoe which provides appropriate stability and support for the shoe when not under impact.
Both good shoe stability and good shock absorption properties require that any shock absorption mechanism used in children""s, women""s and men""s shoes be adjustable to provide these properties for persons of various weight.
Finally, it is highly desirable to provide a new and improved shock absorption mechanism for a shoe which has all of the above features.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a new and improved shock absorption mechanism for shoes.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved shock absorption mechanism for shoes which maintains its shock absorption properties during use.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved shock absorption mechanism for shoes which does not involve an air cushion.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved shock absorption mechanism for shoes which does not have one or more air bladders in communication with each other.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved shock absorption mechanism for shoes which has a mechanical shock absorption device.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved shock absorption mechanism for shoes which does not have all of the disadvantages of air cushions and bladders.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved shock absorption mechanism for shoes to be positioned in the heel portion of the shoe.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved shock absorption mechanism for shoes which is dimensionally stable during compression.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved shock absorption mechanism for shoes which is comprised of few parts, is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and is relatively simple to assemble.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved shock absorption mechanism for a shoe which provides appropriate stability and support for the shoe when not under impact.
Finally, it is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved shock absorption mechanism for shoes which has all of the above features.
In the broader aspects of this invention, there is provided a new and improved shock absorption mechanism for shoes comprising a plurality of members defining an upper support planar surface and a lower support planar surface. The upper planar surface and lower planar surface are moveable toward and away from each other. A plurality of near-collapsible members are operatively connected between the upper and lower planar surfaces. The collapsible members are moveable between an extended position and a collapsed position. Each of the collapsible members has a spring associated therewith for urging the members into their extended position. The plurality of members and the collapsible members are connected and positioned within a collapsible heel of a shoe. The springs have a spring constant sufficient to support the weight of the wearer of the shoe and to absorb the shock when a forceful impact is exerted on the members which urge the members together against the urging of the springs, -whereby both the acceleration and the velocity of said members is gradually reduced to zero.